Policies and Procedures

Graduate and Policies & Procedures

March 21, 2023

Department Policies

Admission

Graduate Programs
  • Must have an accredited bachelor’s degree Official Transcripts of all post-secondary school, university level coursework and grades (translated in English). “Official” means that the applicant must request that his school send transcripts directly to the UCC Global’s Registry (registry@uccglobal.co)
  • The language of instruction at UCC Global is English. Applicants whose most recent education was not in English will be required to demonstrate English Language proficiency, through the completion of an approved English testing regime such as, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Both TOEFL Paper-based (PBT) and TOEFL Internet-based (IBT) will be accepted.

Standard Application Process

Applicants are required to:

  • Complete the UCC Global Official Online Application Form related to programme option.
  • Provide certified copies of academic qualifications within 60 days of payment post provisional admit. (Where preliminary results slips are submitted, official transcripts must be requested from Overseas Examination Commission.) –
  • Submit certified copy of Marriage Certificate (where applicable).
  • Submit certified copy of name change documents (where applicable).
  • Submit certified copy of divorce related documents (where applicable).

Unconditional Admission - This means that the applicant has already met the entry requirements. To be unconditionally admitted to degree programmes of UCC, individuals should comply with all the application and admissions requirements.

Conditional/Provisional Admission - This means that the applicant must meet certain conditions (usually receiving outstanding examination results) before a place in the University is confirmed. Failure to do so will prevent the student progressing in his/her academic programme beyond two academic terms.

Response to Application - All applicants will receive written notification of unconditional or conditional/ provisional acceptance for admission

Additionally, academic awards (degrees) will not be granted if the conditions stipulated in the Provisional Acceptance Letter are not completely met by the students.

Notification of provisional admission may be delivered electronically, if an email address was provided by the applicant, or via hard copy through the mail.

Categories of Admission - Applicants may be accepted in one of the following categories:

  • Full Acceptance - Applicants who have submitted certified/official documentation and fully met the Standard Admission Process with the official transcripts.
  • Conditional Acceptance - Applicants to degree programmes who have unofficial transcripts and who have not fully satisfied the Standard Admission Requirements, may be admitted in this category with the requirement to submit outstanding documents stipulated in the Conditional Acceptance Letter within two terms of the programme.Failure to do so will prevent the student progressing in his/her academic programme beyond two academic terms. Additionally, academic awards (degrees) will not be granted if the conditions stipulated in the Conditional Acceptance Letter are not completely met by the students.

Advanced Standing (Transfer of Credits) and Exemption

UCC students/applicants may be able to accelerate their individual programme of study with advanced standing credit which may be earned in a number of ways. All courses taken at other institutions will be evaluated to determine their eligibility for UCC credit.

is available through the transfer of credits. This occurs when applicants have prior tertiary education as certified by the submission of an official transcript(s) which is evaluated as per established institutional standards.

An exemption is awarded without credit and a student receiving an exemption from a particular course is normally required to complete a different course to satisfy the credit requirements of the particular programme of study.

For both advanced standing and exemption applicants are normally required to have official transcripts of their grades or official certification forwarded to the Registrar,University of the Commonwealth Caribbean, for evaluation before acceptance into the programme can be granted and they may also be required to provide course syllabi and outlines of courses previously pursued.

Candidates may use qualifications earned at other recognised and approved institutions for the following purposes:

  • Exemptions from courses within a UCC graduate degree programme (Up to 6 credits). Each transcript will be individually assessed to ascertain if the modules/courses are equivalent to those of UCC.
  • Transfer of Credits (Advanced Standing) for courses within a UCC graduate degree programme (Up to 6 credits). Each transcript will be individually assessed to ascertain if the modules/courses are equivalent to those of UCC.

UCC Student Communication Policy

This policy describes how the university will communicate with their students.

The primary communication channels are usually the most appropriate and/or reliable means for contacting students are email, learning management systems and the Website.

Students are required to Check your student e-mail at least twice daily, as this is the main form of communication for your online courses. Furthermore, this is the only email address utilized for official university correspondence.

Course Access

This policy provides guidance about how a student can access their module material.

  • Modules must be paid for in full before the start of each module. Students who opt for a self-paced program must pay before access to the module will be granted. No exceptions can be made to this policy.
  • University online students are not eligible for university payment plans.
  • Students will have access to the module on the Friday prior to the week of the course start date (Pre-Release week). Self-paced students will receive access within 15 minutes of payment.

Deadlines

This policy stresses the importance of deadlines due to the accelerated nature of their online programs and the university policies regarding submission deadlines and late work. This section may also include a link to the calendar which outlines the deadline dates.

Due to the fast-paced nature of the course in the program, all deadline dates will be strictly observed. There will be no exceptions to the deadline dates.

Time Limit for Graduate Programme

The maximum permissible timeframe to complete a programme is the prescribed programme duration, plus a period not exceeding an additional three (3) academic years.

The programme length for the MBA is twenty (20) months (approximately two (2) years). Therefore, when the three (3) years are added, the maximum permissible timeframe for completion of the MBA degree is five (5) academic years.

Where the maximum permissible timeframe has been exceeded, individuals wishing to continue in the programmes at UCC will be required to reapply to the institution (new applicant rules apply), and previous credits completed will not apply.

Where an individual is reapplying within the timeframe but having more outstanding credits than the remaining time would normally allow for the completion of the programme of study, approval will not be granted for the re-application. Therefore, candidates will be required to apply to the institution (new applicant rules apply).

Graduation

The policy applies to all students who successfully complete UCC programmes leading to Master’s degree.

The graduation clearance process is conducted for all students who have successfully completed all requirements across all disciplines. All eligible students are required to participate in the annual commencement ceremony currently held in July.

Graduation Application

Graduation is not automatic, and students must apply and receive approval from the University Registrar.

The application timeline is determined for each applicable period in which potential graduands may submit their application to be conferred with a certificate of completion.

Academic Standing

This policy describes how a student’s performance is measured.

Maintenance of Good Standing - In order to remain in good standing in the programme students must maintain a minimum 3.0 (out of 4.0) grade point average (GPA) during their studies. This represents a grade of B. This grade level is the minimum that a participant has to secure in order to pass each course. Failure to do so can result in one being placed on academic probation or being withdrawn from the programme.

Academic Probation - An MBA student on warning whose cumulative GPA falls below the 3.0 may be placed on probation or withdrawn from the programme.Such a student may be given one course to raise his/her cumulative GPA to 3.0 or above.Probation indicates serious academic difficulty.

Dismissal - A graduate student on probation who does not improve his/her cumulative GPA within the timeframe defined will be automatically withdrawn from the programme.This is for a minimum of one academic year.After one year, the student may apply for readmission to the Institution in the same or different programme.

Term of the Participant Agreement - The term of this Agreement shall be from the date of first registration to the scheduled completion of no more than 42 credit hours of courses.However, this term shall not exceed five (5) years.

Leave of Absence and Resumption

A student who for a valid and approved reason wishes to be absent from an academic programme for one course period must apply for Leave of Absence by submitting the Request for Leave of Absence Form to the UCC Global Registry at registry@uccglobal.co The form must be submitted prior to the commencement of the Leave of Absence.

Leave of Absence Expiration - Leave of Absence from a programme should normally be for one course period, up to a maximum of one calendar year. On expiration of the leave of absence period, if the student wishes to have his/her leave of absence extended due to extenuating circumstances, he/she must apply to the Registrar. A Leave of Absence extension may be applied for and granted twice.

Students wishing to rejoin a programme subsequently must submit an Application for Re-Admission form at least two (2) weeks prior to commencement of the course as per the process below:

The total period for a Leave of Absence, including all extensions applied for and granted, may not exceed two (2) academic years. A student who fails to resume his/her studies at the appointed time after the specified leave of absence extension period will be deemed to have withdrawn from or abandoned the programme. Students wishing to rejoin a programme must submit an application for Re-admission Form at least two (2) weeks prior to commencement of the course.

Withdrawal Policy

This policy describes the procedure to drop/full withdraw from either the program and university, or just their current module. Details may include a) implications to grades, program continuance, financial aid, etc. and b) Student dropped/withdrawn from course/program by university.

  • Students may discontinue or drop from a university partner program and must reach out to the registry to initiate such a request.
  • Students who wish to be completely withdrawn from their program will need to send an email from their university partner student email address to the University partner registration team.
  • Students who send requests from other email accounts will be instructed to resend from their official University email account.
  • Students who drop during the scheduled refund period will be eligible for a refund on that program.
  • Students may drop a module through to the end of the last day-to-drop a module.
  • Students have until 11:59:59 p.m. on the last day to drop a module.
  • The last day-to-drop a module can be found here:
  • If the student is unable to process the drop online through self-service, then an email must be sent from the student’s University partner student email address to the University partner registration team no later than 11:59:59 p.m. on the last day to drop a module.
  • Students who drop a module after the first day of class up until the last day to drop, will receive a grade of ‘W’. This does not apply to students who are in self-paced programs which do not have start and end dates.
  • Students who drop a module after the drop period and receive a “W” will have to pay for that module when they attempt the course again in the future. This does not apply to students who are in a self-paced program which does not have defined start and end dates.

Refund Policy

This policy describes University Refunds.

Scheduled refund period:

Students may drop a module on-line in the same manner they registered for the course by clicking on ‘drop’. Students may drop a module up through to the following refund schedule for a refund:

Refund Rate Self-Paced
100% 2 days from the date of first access, provided the student has not moved past the first assessment.

If a student is unable to process the drop online through self-service, then an email must be sent from the student’s University email address to the University Online Services Registration Team at registry@uccglobal.co no later than 11:59:59 p.m. on the day according to the refund schedule above. University partner needs POC for undergraduate and graduate programs).

Course Drop/Withdrawal with Financial Obligations:

Students may continue to drop their module until the last day-to-drop a course but will have the full financial obligation of the course and will not receive a refund.